[Lomag]

What is iDrive?

iDrive is that little silver knob you see behind the gear shift and it's the brain of this car. iDrive allows access to a variety of comfort functions displayed on the monitor. The turn/press button enables front-seat occupants to access the menu system and fine-tune settings for climate control, audio system, navigation system and communication with BMW Assist. Dedicated buttons for radio, climate, and other more often used functions do exist to keep things simple.


If you have any additions or comments please post them below for other forum members and web site visitors to read.

[Parson]

If you ask me, iDrive is a pain in the arse. It's slow, cumbersome, and while I find myself a very techno-saavy person, I still cannot get into the depth of the menus easily and the navigation module is not intuitive.

I wish my car did not have it.

[littlemouse]

Parson, on Jul 12 2009, 10:54 PM, said:

If you ask me, iDrive is a pain in the arse. It's slow, cumbersome, and while I find myself a very techno-saavy person, I still cannot get into the depth of the menus easily and the navigation module is not intuitive.

I wish my car did not have it.

I would have to disagree with you, I actually quite like it, and find it relatively easy to navigate ( Takes a bit of practise though )

My two girls 9 & 5 seem to have got the hang of it too... CD changer takes a hell of a beating at times!!

[pjinca]

Wait, isn't the iDrive the adverising slogan? "Idrive, youDrive, we allDrive BMW"?

j/k anyway, I love the system, maybe because I have been in IT for so many years, but it's great.

[pigapumbu]

Parson, on Jul 12 2009, 10:54 PM, said:

If you ask me, iDrive is a pain in the arse. It's slow, cumbersome, and while I find myself a very techno-saavy person, I still cannot get into the depth of the menus easily and the navigation module is not intuitive.

I wish my car did not have it.

YES YES... YES!!! another man that thinks the same as me about idrive.

here is the thing. yes in time we can get used to it but only if the BMW is the main car used. If one has different cars to chose from, then its never easy to remember. I always used to say this to my engineers who were planning the process flow (manufacturing). Everything should be simple so that a money can do the job.

The same applies here. The simple reason why iDRIVE fails is this. One can't use it on day one without the manual or help by the salesman. Its not like other cars where you can get in, play with the system and work it out easily. When I bought my car, on the drive back I wanted to put SOME music. Anything!! The whole journey back, not a single bloody sound came out. I was trying everything but could not work out how to tune the radio to the area.

I had to get home, read the damn manual from front to back. Never have I ever needed to do that for my previous BMWs.

iDrive is another aspect where BMW has lost its way. They used to design cars with superb logic put into the design. How the hell idrive passed, God only knows.

cheers

[craigm1841]

HOW did this thing get revived?

[CWS530]

craigm1841, on Jul 21 2009, 07:04 PM, said:

HOW did this thing get revived?

It's a debate on a five-year-old FAQ!

[sdg1871]

CWS530, on Jul 21 2009, 11:42 PM, said:

It's a debate on a five-year-old FAQ!

Apparently, the ENVY thread is not the only one around here with magical powers of resurrection.

[M 5exy]

iDrive a BMW baby! lol